The third flood in a month and a half, high areas of Feni are also drowning

Parashuram and Phulgazi upazilas bordering Feni have experienced the third round of flooding in a span of one and a half months. Heavy rains in the last few days and water from upstream India entering through 17 breached sections of the flood control dams of Muhuri, Kahua and Ceylon rivers have left thousands of people in dire straits. Traffic has been stopped on various roads in the upazila that are submerged in water.

Feni Meteorological Department senior observer Mohammad Moniruzzaman said that 186 millimeters of rainfall was recorded in the district in 24 hours till 6 am on Tuesday (August 20).

According to local sources, on August 2, 17 parts of the flood control dams of the Muhuri, Kahua and Ceyloniya rivers were breached. The heavy rains of the last few days and water from upstream India started to enter the locality again through the erosion site from Monday (August 19) afternoon. It includes the broken part of Muhuri river dam adjacent to Paschim Alkar Masterbari of Parashuram Upazila, two parts of the dam in South Kautli Kashinagar and Champaknagar area of ​​Mirzanagar Union, South Shaldhar adjacent to Jahir Chairman's house of Chithlia Union, the broken part of Teteshwar and Satkuchia areas of South Shaldhar, Kahua river flood control dam and West Water is entering through the breached section of Ceylonia river dam in Mirzanagar area. Roads, houses, crops and fish enclosures were submerged in water. At least 70 villages of two upazilas were flooded due to water entering the locality and about 15 thousand families are trapped in water.

A resident of Kalikrishnanagar area of ​​Parshuram. Shaheen said that houses were flooded three times in a span of few days. Allah knows best what will happen to us if it rains like this. Water is entering in strong current. I am having a hard day.

Bahar Uddin, a resident of Birchandra Nagar area, said that because the area is high, usually flood water does not enter. But this time due to heavy rains, the house is submerged in water. Local representatives are also in hiding. No help whatsoever, no one even inquired about us.

Ali Azam, a farmer in Nilkshi area of ​​Fulgazi upazila, said that the paddy fields were submerged in water during the July flood. A few days after re-seeding and planting, it was flooded again on August 2. Due to the heavy rains of the last two days, all the lands have been flooded again. There is no way to overcome the damage caused by three floods in one and a half months. We must not eat.

A UP chairman, who did not wish to be named, said that due to the negligence of the Water Development Board, the flood control dam broke and the locality was repeatedly flooded. Due to negligence in repairing the broken dam, erosion has occurred again in the same place. Now new areas are being flooded by water entering through erosion.

Sub-Divisional Engineer of Feni Water Development Board (D.D.) Md. Abul Kashem said, on August 2, erosion occurred in 17 parts of the flood control dams of Muhuri, Kahua and Ceylon rivers. Before they can be repaired, water is again entering the locality due to the heavy rains of the last two days and the erosion of the upstream water.

Parashuram Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Afroza Habib Shapla told Dhaka Post that water is entering the locality through 12 erosion parts of the river in different areas of the upazila. 40 villages were flooded and at least 9 thousand 200 families were trapped in water. River water is flowing 55 cm above the danger line. 500 packets of dry food and 50 tons of rice are stocked to deal with disaster.

Fulgazi Upazila Executive Officer (UNO) Tanya Bhuiyan said that 30 villages in three unions of the upazila were flooded and 4,000 families were trapped in water. Water is still entering the locality with strong currents over the river dam. 300 packets of dry food and 18 metric tons of rice are stored in the upazila.

Meanwhile, due to the heavy rains of the last few days, waterlogging has also occurred in several roads in different upazilas and cities of the district. The common people are suffering due to traffic disruption.

Mohammad Moniruzzaman, senior observer of Feni Meteorological Department, said that moderate and heavy rains have continued in Feni for two consecutive days. The district has recorded 186 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours. Rain is likely to continue over the district for the next few days.